Lakewood Shores (The Gailes) - Michigan - USA
7751 Cedar Lake Road,
Oscoda,
Michigan (MI) 48750,
USA
+1 800 882 2493
22 miles N of Tawas City
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Craig Peters
Kevin Aldridge
Craig Peters
Lakewood Shores is a 54-hole resort on the shores of Lake Huron in upstate Michigan, and its most celebrated route is The Gailes, a links-inspired setup designed by Kevin Aldridge.
Although the first tee shot will be out to a burn that flows across the fairway, this is by no means a St. Andrews tribute course. In fact, perhaps to add a bit of America to the Scottish aesthetic, there will be many more burn crossings throughout the round. The third hole is titled “Triple Burn,” to reflect how many times you’ll cross a creek during its 420 yards.
The rest of The Gailes’ facets certainly reflect its Scottish influence however, with sod-faced bunkers and fescue growing rampant off the fairways. The winds off of the lake, directly east, will certainly create a links-like sensation as well, but Aldridge has constructed the course to prevent headaches. The No. 9 hole features a fairway nearly 100 yards wide, earning it the title “B-52 Target.” At just 300 yards from the back tee, the hole certainly invites players to take aim at its green, which in turn is surrounded by six deep pots.
Reviews for Lakewood Shores (The Gailes)
Jay C.
I will qualify my review by mentioning that it's been almost ten years since I played it, so the course could have undergone renovations that I'm unaware of.
That being said, I love this course. It's among my earliest experiences of links golf and I find it be an outstanding one. Aside from removing what had to have been lots of trees, the heather mounding of the course feels very natural. If the course is dried out, it is punishing. The course can't seem to make up its mind on being narrow or wide, but I find it to be part of the charm. You have to gear up for a great drive on one stretch while the next hole may be an easy drive, but a strategic and difficult shot into the green. I find it to be a worthwhile option if you're in the north side of the state.
Holes that stand out to me:
#6 - A par 5 with a tucked away green at the corner of the property
#10 - An incredibly narrow par 4. Hitting the fairway is a must.
#11 - I remember playing it for the first time and not realizing that the green is a double green with #14, which means if you go over the green you're in a bunker with an 8 ft wall.
#13 - Wide, but with its own hazards, this almost feels like a double dogleg due to the hazards on the left off the tee and then death on the right for the approach.
#14 - The other half of the double green with a very memorable bunker and a difficult up and down if you bail away from the bunker.
#15 - Slightly downhill par 5, it feels appropriate for the gauntlet you've just emerged from.
#18 - Probably the largest green I've ever played.
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Douglas Zaccari
The Gailes is one of those courses you wish you could have played 20 years ago. You can see how good it once was, it has good bones but has fallen far from Grace. For the price you can get a stay and play it’s still worth a trip, pair it with the Blackshire another of the courses with good bones. When I played the Courses green speeds were up which I appreciated, the lodging the clubhouse and the entire facility remind you of the golf version of hot tub time machine. I would love to see this place get a new ownership or make an attempt to upgrade. Could be pretty good again, the Gailes was once a top 100 public in the US & Top new resort course.
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